A nine-time Virginia Honor Band, the Battlefield High School Marching Bobcats have been selected as one of only six U.S. high school marching bands to participate in the first-ever commemorative D-Day parade on its 70th Anniversary in Normandy, France, in June 2014.

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, to liberate Western Europe from the occupation of Nazi Germany. Seventy years later on June 6, 2014, Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first village liberated by American paratroopers, will host a historic parade. Military units, marching bands, along with cultural and civic groups will march down the same streets that were lined with American troops in 1941. Dignitaries and military officials from the United States, Canada, and all across Europe will attend. The President of the United States, cabinet members, and officials representing all branches of the Armed Forces will also be present.

The Marching Bobcats community now seeks public and corporate support to help them make this historic trip to honor our veterans.

“The Marching Bobcats are honored to support our veterans at this parade,” says Matthew Brodt, Battlefield High School Director of Bands. “Rarely do we have the opportunity to support people as important as our U.S. veterans—and make history real for our students. Hopefully this will make repeating the events of D-Day in the future completely unnecessary.”

Key historical moments of the band:

A nine-time Virginia Honor Band (which is the lifetime of the high school), as designated by the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association

Currently two consecutive years undefeated as Grand Champions in every competition entered

BCS National College Football Championship First Place Field Show Winners in New Orleans, LA, in 2012—named 2012 “Gainesville Heroes” by Supervisor Pete Candland

Marched in the Washington, D.C. Independence Day Parade in 2006

Marched in the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in 2011

Marched in the Greater Manassas Veterans Day Parade in 2011

Marched in the West Virginia Strawberry Festival Parade in 2012

For more information and to donate, visit www.bhsnormandy.org or www.battlefieldbands.com. Find on Facebook at facebook.com/bhsnormandy or facebook.com/battlefieldhsbands. To schedule an interview with Director of Bands Matthew Brodt, Normandy Chairmen Don Shanks or Bill Inglimo, please contact Publicity Coordinator Catherina Hurlburt at 571-278-5128 or catherina.hurlburt@bhsbands.org.